Half a smile crooked the corner of her mouth and she shifted. ‘Our noble adversaries like targeting work parties, killing overseers and warriors and freeing those slaves who would rather betray the song than die alongside their betters. Those freed slaves were being sent back towards Malel, but many of them will have stopped in these towns, especially if they’re fatigued or wounded. It’s likely that they all now have Axib, Quitob, even Tlaloxqueh refugees living with them. Many people. Many new, unfamiliar faces.’

Pilos grunted. ‘I like where this is going. How many do you think would make a difference?’

‘Ideally, a full half of the Whispers. I only visited one of these towns and I’d say it held a few thousand people. The rest, as far as I know, are of a like size. Fifty good Whispers in each to sabotage from the inside when you attack from without could be enough to tip the balance in our favour so they fall quickly. And we can cut off anyone trying to head uphill to warn the Sky City.’

‘But how do we get you in there?’ Calan asked.

‘Seed them through the jungle in small groups and have them running scared for the war parties to find and take them home like the saviours they believe themselves to be,’ Pilos said. ‘They won’t all make it, but enough will.’

‘It’s what we train for,’ Ilandeh agreed with impressive equanimity. ‘Blending in; avoiding suspicion. As you say, enough will get through to make a difference when the attack comes.’

Pilos knew she’d go if he asked it of her, despite being relatively well known in the Sky City and perhaps elsewhere.

‘The Whispers’ main priority will be to stop Tokob running uphill with word of our arrival. Second task will be opening gates and disrupting defence.’ Pilos tapped his finger on the triangle of the Sky City. ‘All right, I like it and I want the Whispers selected and sent off today. Once they’ve gone, they’ll be on their own until we arrive at the Sky City. So how do we take the Sky City itself?’

Ilandeh began to sketch a second map. Pilos had already studied the one she had drawn while she waited for the Melody to arrive, but they could all do with a reminder now they were actually among the hills and jungle. Terrain always looked different when you were in it.